Printing attachment for paper-clips.



No. 703,|30. Patented June 24, I902.

J. CARR.

PRINTING ATTACHMENT FOR PAPER CLIPS.

(Application filed Mar. 3, 19(12.)

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet I.

t 0 L I l I :1 i

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Patented June 24, I902.

N0. 703,!80. J. l. CARR.

PRINTING ATTACHMENT FOR PAPER CLIPS.

(Application filed. Mar. 3, 1902.) I

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(N0 Model) UNTTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN I. CARR, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

PRINTING ATTACH M ENT FO R PAPER-CLI PS.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 703,180, dated June 24:,1902. Application filed March 3,1902. Serial No, 96,485. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN I. CARR, a citizen of the United States,residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Printing Attachments forPaper- Clips, of which the following is a specification.

There are at present in use many paperclips that are designed to hold aconsiderable number of sheets of writing-paper piled one upon anotherfor convenience in writing upon the top sheet of the pile. Some of theseclips have a broad fiat base made out of a thin piece of wood or othersuitable material, upon which the pile of paper rests, and a jawpivotally mounted upon the base and adapted to engage the top sheet ofthe pile, said jaw being under the influence of a spring which tendsconstantly to press it firmly against the top of the pile, means beingprovided for lifting the jaw when the top sheet is to be removed. Inothers the base is not broad and long enough to completely underlie thepile of paper, but extends only far enough to cooperate with the upperspring-actuated jaw in holding the paper. In still others two jaws ofmore or less similar construction are used. In all, however, there is aspring-actuated jaw that is adapted to engage the top of the pile ofpaper and a part which engages the bottom of the pile and cooperateswith said spring-actuated jaw for holding the paper. This part, whatevermay be its construction, may appropriately be termed the base of theclip, and with this understanding the term base will be used herein todesignate the lower part or member upon which the spring-actuated jaw ofa paper-clip is mounted and with which it cooperates.

The object of the present invention is to provide a printing attachmentthat may be applied to a paper-clip of any construction and that willhave a printing-form so associated with the spring-actuated 'jaw of theclip or the mechanism for operating said jaw that it will partake of themovements thereof, so that as the jaw is lifted the form will be liftedand pressed against an inking-pad and as the jaw descends to contactwith the top sheet of the pile of paper the form also will descend tocontact with said sheet and be pressed against it with sufficient forceto make an impression thereon. By this means headings for letters andbills, dates, numbers, or, in fact, any desired matter may be printed onthe top sheet of the pile of paper without any manipulation of thedevice other than what is required to release the top sheet of paper,the inking of the form and the printing of the paper being doneautomatically.

Another object of the invention is to provide the printing attachmentwith means whereby it may be so attached to the base that it may beeasily and quickly thrown out of action or entirely removed, leaving thepaper-clip without any unsightly adjuncts that would detract from itsornate appearance.

Another object of the invention is to provide a printing attachment ofthe class described with a frame which is adapted to be secured to thebase, so that it will remain in fixed relation thereto during operation,and with means for permitting the surface of the form to follow the topof the pile downward as the sheets are removed therefrom, so that theform automatically accommodates itself to the top sheet of the pile.

In the accompanying drawings, which are made a part of thisspecification, Figure 1 is a plan view of a paper-clip and a printingattachment embodying the invention, the parts being shown full size,excepting that intermediate portions of the base are broken away. Fig. 2is a vertical section thereof on the line 2 2, Fig. 1, looking in thedirection of the arrow toward the top of the clip. Figs. 3, 4, and 5 arevertical sections thereof on the lines 3 3, 4 4, and 5 5, respectively,Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows toward the lefthand sideof the clip. Fig. 6 is an elevation of the yoke viewed from the top ofthe clip. Fig. 7 is a detail view of a modification.

Although the invention is not limited thereto, yet I prefer to use apaper-clip of the type shown and described in United States LettersPatent No. 233,069,which were granted to me October 12, 1880. This cliphas a base comprising a fiat board A and a pair of cleats B and B,running along its top and left hand sides, respectively, and havingstraight inner edges that form a right angle for assisting in piling thepaper evenly. Rising from the cleat B are brackets 19, in which isjournaled a rock-shaft O, carrying a clamping-jaw O, the lower edge ofwhich is serrated in order to take a firm hold on the top sheet of thepile of paper D. Any desired number of clamping-jaws may be used. Oneend of the rock-shaft has a crank-arm c, which engages a loop on the endof a rod E, slidably mounted in agroove in the cleat B and having aprojection e, by which it may be moved in one direction, its movement inthe opposite direction being produced by acoiled spring E, which isdisposed between the end of the rod E and the downturned end of ahousingplate B. With the parts thus constructed and arranged the springacting through the rod E, crank-arm c, and rock-shaft O exerts aconstant pressure tending to hold the jaw down in contact with the pileof paper. When a sheet is to be removed, a pull is exerted on theprojection e of the rod in opposition to the spring, and this actingthrough the same parts will lift the jaw and free the paper. When thepressure is removed from the projection, the spring will automaticallyclose the jaw against the paper.

The stamp attachment comprises a suitable frame, means for attaching theframe to the base, a yoke slidably mounted upon the.

frame, a rocker carrying the printing-form, and means for connecting theyoke with the jaw-operating mechanism of the clip. The frame comprisesvertical sides F and F, a horizontal top F, connecting and formed in onewith the sides and rods ff,f, and f, extending from one side to theother and connecting them, so as to hold them in proper relations toeach other. The top F has downturned marginal flanges Fiand betweenthese flanges is arranged an inking-pad G.

For securing the frame to the base of the clip one of its sides isprovided with asleeve F which slips over a post H, rising from the base.The sleeve is preferably integral with the side Fof the frame and ismade by bending the margin of the metal of which said side is made intothe form of a tube. It is provided with a boss, and this boss and thesleeve beneath it are provided with a threaded perforation for thepassage of a set-screw I, by which the sleeve may be secured to thepost, and thus hold the frame in any position to which it may beadjusted. It may be adjusted verticallyto meet conditions hereinafterdescribed, or it may be swung around to one side, so as to carry thewhole stamping attachment out of operative position.

I prefer to use the set-screw to aid in holding the frame in place; butit is not essential. lVhether it is used or not, the sleeve has a snugfriction-fit on the post, and this in connection with a hook J, which ispivoted to the base of the clip and engages a vertical slot f in theside F of the frame,will be sufficient to hold it in place. Furthermore,the sleeve and post may be of non-circular cross-section, as shown inFig. 7, and this willdispense with the need for either the set-screw orthe hook. I prefer, however, to use a post and sleeve of circular form,as this allows the stamp attachment to be swung around out of operativeposition without removing it.

Any desired means may be used for attaching the post to the base. haveshown it as being provided with a pair of branches h, that are adaptedto be slipped in and out of corresponding sockets h, carried by thebase, said branches being deflected downward, so as to permit the lowerend of the sleeve to drop down below the top of the cleat B and bringthe bottom of the frame almost into contact with the top of the pile ofpaper. This same thing could be accomplished without deflecting thebranches 7i downward if a shorter sleeve were used; but for the sake ofstability I prefer to use a sleeve of the maximum length permitted bythe circumstances. In order to still further insure stability, the postH is so placed that the sides F and F of the frame have contact with thetop cleat B.

The yoke comprises two vertical sides K and K, which lie outside of butclose to the sides F and F, respectively, of the frame, and a top K,which is formed in one with and connects the sides K K. Near their lowerends the sides K K support a rod L, which extends from one of them tothe other, passing through vertical slots Z, that extend from top tobottom of the sides Fand Fof the frame. Upon this rod L is loosely hungthe rocker M, which carries the rubber or other printing-form M. Therocker has at its ends upturned ears m, that have slots m and m, thatare adapted to receive the rods f and f, respectively, as the rocker ismoved up and down by the yoke. This in general is a familiarconstruction in self-inking rubber stamps and is for the purpose ofgiving the rocker a half-turn at each operation of the stamp, so as topresent the face of the printing-form squarely to the paper and to theinking-pad at opposite ends of its permitted travel. It will beobserved, however, that the conditions of use are not the same in mydevice as they are in rubber stamps of ordinary construction. In using aself-inking rubber stamp of ordinary construction the frame bears uponthe sheet to be printed, and therefore always bears the same relationthereto, so that at the moment of completing the impression theprinting-form always bears the same relation to the frame; but in usingmy device, the frame being held fixedly in one position, its relation tothe top sheet of the pile of paper changes as the sheets are removed andthe pile becomes lower and lower. This changing condition must be met bypermitting the printing-form to follow down with the top of the pile. Topermit this, I make the In the drawings I IIO sides K and K of the yokesomewhat longer than usual, and I carry the slots Z quite to the bottomof the frame, and as this will permit the rod L to move out of saidslots at bottom I provide the sides K and K with short studs 7:, whichproject into the slots and guide the yoke after the rod L passes belowthe bottom of the frame.

A delicate spring N of only sufficient strength to hold up the yoke andits accessories is arranged between the top of the frame and the'top ofthe yoke.

For operating the yoke it is connected with the clamping-jaw O or withthe rock-shaft C, so that each time the jaw is lifted to release a sheetthe printing-form will be carried upward and pressed against theinking-pad G, and when the jaw again descends to clamp the paper thesame spring which forces it downward will also force the printing-formdownward and into contact with the top sheet and there hold it. Hereagain is a difference in operation. In self-inking rubber stamps asordinarily constructed the spring forces the printing-form into contactWith the inking-pad and there holds it, that beingits normal position,while in my device the spring forces the printing-form against the paperand there holds it, that being its normal position.

For connecting the yoke with the rock-shaft O, I may use an arm 0, whichis preferably integral with the jaw O, a flexible arm P, which projectsdownward from the top K of the yoke and has a seat 17 for a cross-head 0at the end of the arm 0, and a spring-detent P, which holds thecross-head 0 in the seat 12. Preferably the arm P and detent P areintegral with the top K of the yoke, and, if need be, they may bereduced in thickness at an intermediate point, as shown at p, in orderto make them sufficiently flexible to yield and permit the cross-head 0to move in an are about the axis of the shaft C. This reduction may bemade by a blow of a die or hammer. The seat p is of practicallysemicircular shape and is formed by bending the lower portion of themetal of which the arm P is made, and the detent has a toe P", which iscurved on its under side, so that the surfaces of the seat and detentconform to the circular cross-sectional shape of the crosshead 0,allowing the cross-head to turn in the seat as it moves up and down.

To place the cross-head in its seat, it is presented to the detent andpressed against said detent with sufficient force to move its lower endand uncover the seat, and it is then pressed downward into the seat,whereupon the detent will snap back to its normal position and hold thecross-head in the seat.

Having thus described my invention, the following is what Iclaim as newtherein and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. The combination with a paper-clip, having a spring-actuatedclampingjaw, of a printing form and means connecting the printing-formwith the jaw-operating mechanism of the clip, whereby the jaw and formmove together and the one holds the paper while the other prints it,substantially as described.

2. The combination with a paper-clip, having a base and aspring-actuated clampingjaw, of a printing attachment having a framesecured to the base, a printing-form, means movably mounted upon theframe and carry- 1 ing the printing-form, and means connecting saidmeans for carrying the form with the jaw-operating mechanism of the clipwhereby said jaw-operating mechanism simultaneously moves the jaw andform into contact with the paper so that as the one holds it the otherprints it, substantially as described.

3. The combination with a paper-clip having a base and a spring-actuatedclampingjaw, of a printing attachment having a frame secured to thebase, a printing-form, a yoke slidably mounted upon the frame and carrying the printing-form, and means connecting said yoke with thejaw-operating mechanism of the clip, substantially as described.

4. The combination with a paper-clip having a base and a spring-actuatedclampingjaw, of a printing attachment having a frame, means forremovably securing the frame to the base, a printing-form, means movablymounted upon the frame and carrying the printing-form, and meansconnecting the said means for carrying the printing-form with thejaw-operating mechanism, substantially as described.

5. The combination with a paper-clip having a base and a spring-actuatedclampingjaw, of a printing attachment having a frame, means foradjustably securing said frame to the base, a printing-form, meansmovably mounted upon the frame and carrying the printing-form, and meansconnecting said means for carrying the printing-form with thejaw-operating mechanism of the clip, substantially as described.

6. The combination with a paper-clip having a base and a spring-actuatedclamping jaw, of a printing attachment having aframe, a post rising fromthe base, means for adjustably securing the frame to the post, aprinting-form, means movably mounted upon the frame and carrying theprinting-form, and means connecting said means for carrying theprinting-form with the jaw-operating mechanism of the clip,substantially as described.

7. The combination with a paper-clip having a base and a spring-actuatedclampingjaw, of a printing attachment having a frame, a post forsupporting the frame, means for removably securing the post to the base,a printing-form, means movably mounted upon the frame and carrying theprinting-form, and means connecting said means for carrying theprinting-form with the jaw-operating mechanism of the clip,substantially as described.

S, The combination with a paper elip having a base and a spring-actuatedclampingjaw, of a printing attachment having a frame secured to thebase, ayoke slidably mounted uponthe frame, a printing-form carried bythe yoke, an arm projecting from the yoke, and means connecting said armwith the jawoperating mechanism of the clip, substantially as described.

9. The combination with a paper-clip having a base and a springactuatedclampingjaw, of a printing attachment having a frame secured to thebase, a yoke slidably mounted upon the frame, a printing-form carried bythe yoke, an arm projecting from the yoke, a second arm jointed to thearm first aforesaid, and means connecting the second arm withthejaw-operating mechanism of the clip, substantially as described.

10. The combination with a paperc1ip having a base and a spring-actuatedclam pingjaw, of a printing attachment having a frame secured to thebase, a yoke slidably mounted upon the frame, an arm projecting from theyoke, a second arm having a cross-head occupying the seat carried by thearm of the yoke, a spring-actuated detent for holding said cross-head insaid seat, and means connecting the cross-head with the jaw-operat ingmechanism of the clip, substantially as described.

11. The combination with a paper-clip having a base and aspring-actuated clampingjaw, of a printing attachment having aframesecured to the base, a yoke slidably mounted upon the frame, aprinting-form carried by the yoke, a spring-arm projecting from the yokeand having a seat, a second arm having a cross-head occupying said seat,a detent for holding said cross head in said seat, and means forconnecting the second arm with the jaw-operating mechanism of the clip,sub stantially as described.

12. The combination with a paper-clip having a .base and aspring-actuated clampingjaw, of a printing attachment having a framesecured to the base, a yoke slidably mounted upon the frame, aprinting-form carried by the yoke, said form being movable to a positionthat brings its printing-face below the bottom of the frame, and meansfor connecting said yoke with the jaw-operating mechanism of theclip,substantially as described.

13. The combination with a paper-clip having a base and aspring-actuated c1ampingjaw, of a printing attachment having a framesecured to the base and having Vertical sides provided with slotsextending quite to the bottom thereof, a yoke slidably mounted upon theframe and having vertical sides, a rod extending from one to the otherof the vertical sides of the yoke and passing through the slots in thesides of the frame, a printing form carried by said rod, and meansconnecting the yoke with the jaw-operating mechanism of the clip,substantially as described.

14. The combination with a paper-clip having a base and aspring-actuated clampingjaw, of a printing attachment having a framesecured to the base, a yoke slidably mounted upon the frame, aprinting-form carried by the yoke and movable to a position that bringsits printing-surface below the bottom of the frame, a delicate springinterposed between the frame and yoke,and means connecting the yoke withthe j aW-operating mechanism of the clip, substantially as described.

JOHN I. CARR.

Witnesses:

BELLA EVANS, L. M. HOPKINS.

